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When the 49ers were routinely going to the NFC title game during the glory years, players and coaches had a boiler plate phrase for the team’s success – “It starts from the top.”
The 49ers most recent turnaround can also be credited to that phrase, as Scott Ostler wrote about in today’s Chronicle. On top of that, team president Jed York has recently instituted some Eddie DeBartolo-like flourishes.
For example, coach Jim Harbaugh wanted to reward the eight member practice squad by taking them to road games. Harbaugh also thought it would help in the development of young players if they could go to away games. York agreed and footed the expense for the extra hotel rooms and meals.
Putting eight more bodies on the plane, usually means eight more have to be grounded. So that could mean that eight sponsors are likely off the plane. In this era, it’s news when an organization thinks football first over marketing and business.
Additionally, the brass is showing that they care about players by bringing in rapper M.C. Hammer. The Oakland native knows about financial problems and the pitfalls of fame. A recent Sports Illustrated investigation found that 83 percent of NFL players are either bankrupt or in severe financial distress four years after their retirement. One veteran 49er I talked to said he thought that percentage was low.
Indeed, York seemingly made the right hires with general manager Trent Baalke and coach Jim Harbaugh, but he’s also making the kind of maneuvers behind the scenes that make those inside and outside the organization revive the phrase, “It starts from the top.”